Alfa Romeo will finalise its line-up for the 2020 Formula 1 season “quite soon”, according to team principal Frederic Vasseur, who continued to express his confidence in Antonio Giovinazzi.
Super Formula star Naoki Yamamoto put in an impressive display for Toro Rosso during his maiden Formula 1 outing on Friday at Suzuka as he became the first Japanese driver to appear on a grand prix weekend for nearly five years.
Ferrari Formula 1 chief Mattia Binotto felt was pleased with the outcome of talks with drivers Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc in the fall-out of the team orders controversy at the Russian Grand Prix – but said there could be no guarantee of a repeat in the future.
- News broke in the lead-up to FP1 on Friday morning that Saturday’s activities at Suzuka had been cancelled due to the approach of Typhoon Hagisi, which will make landfall tomorrow.
Lewis Hamilton believes Formula 1 can learn from the Japanese Grand Prix’s rejigged schedule and has called for teams to be allowed to use more sets of tyres during practice.
Valtteri Bottas stormed to the head of the timesheets in second practice for the Japanese Grand Prix on Friday afternoon at Suzuka, putting himself in the frame for pole position should the rescheduled qualifying session on Sunday not go ahead.
As the Formula 1 season nears its conclusion, the paddock is embarking on one of its yearly highlights this weekend with the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
The FIA has confirmed that the starting grid for the Japanese Grand Prix will be formed using the result from Free Practice 2 in the event that qualifying cannot take place on Sunday morning as planned.
Haas Formula 1 team boss Gunther Steiner has been summoned by the FIA-appointed stewards over his critical comments made following the Russian Grand Prix two weeks ago.
Valtteri Bottas set the pace for Mercedes in opening practice for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka on Friday, edging out teammate Lewis Hamilton by just seven-hundredths of a second.
- Much of the talk on Thursday surrounded the incoming super typhoon that could disrupt Saturday’s running. Typhoon Hagibis is expected to make landfall in Japan on Thursday with wind speeds of 90 mph and heavy rain.
Valtteri Bottas says the Mercedes Formula 1 team is expecting its latest aerodynamic upgrade package to provide a “pretty decent step” at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc says Ferrari’s stance on team orders is “clear now” following a “misunderstanding” at Formula 1’s Russian Grand Prix, insisting all is well within the team.
Sebastian Vettel says the Ferrari Formula 1 team “didn’t write anything in stone” about its team orders policy while discussing its Russian Grand Prix controversy.